UC-44&& 


HYMN   OF 
FREE  PEOPLES  TRIUMPHANT 

HERMANN    HAGEDORN 


ALVMNW  BOOK  FVND 


By  Hermann  Hagedorn 

Barbara  Picks  a  Husband 

Faces  In  The  Dawn 

Makers  of  Madness 

The  Great  Maze — The  Heart  of  Youth 

Where  Do  You  Stand  ? 

You  Are  The  Hope  of  The  World 


HYMN    OF 

FREE    PEOPLES 

TRIUMPHANT 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

HEW  YORK  •   BOSTON  •   CHICAGO  •   DALLAS 
ATLANTA  •   SAN  FRANCISCO 

MACMILLAN  &  CO.,  LIMITED 

LONDON  •   BOMBAY  '   CALCUTTA 
MELBOURNE 

THE  MACMILLAN  CO.  OF  CANADA.  Lm 

TORONTO 


HYMN  OF 

FREE   PEOPLES 

TRIUMPHANT 

BY 
HERMANN  HAGEDORN 


NEW  YORK 
THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

1918 
All  Rights  Reserved 


COPYRIGHT,  1918,  BY  THE  OUTLOOK  COMPANY 

COPYRIGHT  igi8 

BY  THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

SET  UP  AND  PRINTED 

PUBLISHED  IQl8 


The  author  is  indebted  to  the  editors 
of  The  Outlook  for  permission  to  reprint 
these  verses,  which  originally  appeared 
in  their  columns. 


337543 


HYMN    OF 

FREE    PEOPLES 

TRIUMPHANT 


Knowest  thou  not  this  of  old,  since  man  was 
placed  upon  the  earth. 

That  the  triumphing  of  the  wicked  is  short, 
and  the  joy  of  the  hypocrite  but  for  a  moment? 

Though  his  excellency  mount  up  to  the 
heavens,  and  his  head  reach  unto  the  clouds; 

Yet  he  shall  perish  forever  like  his  own  dung: 
they  which  have  seen  him  shall  say,  Where  is  he? 

He  shall  fly  away  as  a  dream,  and  shall  not 
be  found:  yea,  he  shall  be  chased  away  as  a 
vision  of  the  night. 

I  would  seek  unto  God,  and  unto  God  would 
I  commit  my  cause 

— Book  of  Job 


HYMN  OF  FREE  PEOPLES 
TRIUMPHANT 

Out  of  the   depths   of  defeat,  thou  hast 

raised  us,  O  God! 
Our   enemies   came   upon^us,  like  thieves 

they  came, 
Like  waters  that  burst  the  sluice,  like  a 

down-storming  flood, 
Like  fire  on  the  hills,  flaunting  to  heaven 

the  flame; 

Out  of  the  north  like  the  invincible  sea 
Pounding     with     breaker     on     pitiless 

breaker  the  shore; 


[13] 


HYMN 


Out  of  the  night  like  a  ravisher  stealthily 
Tiptoeing  up  the  stair  to  an  unlocked 

door — 
They  crept,  they  came,  they  poured,  they 

thundered,  they  beat. 
We  fell  before  them,  like  mowed  grass 

we  went  down. 

They  smote  us,  they  slew  us,  they  tram 
pled  us  under  their  feet; 
They  stretched  out  their  greedy  hands; 

to  the  coveted  crown 

They   stretched   out  their  terrible   arms, 
bristling  and  vast. 


HYMN 

And  thou  wert  with  us.     They  stormed. 
And  we  stood  fast. 

Out  of  the  arms  of  the  grave,  thou  hast 

drawn  us,  O  Lord! 
We  cried:  "We  will  strike  him  here  where 

his  heart  lies  bare. 
He  called  for  the  sword,  now  shall  he  die 

by  the  sword! 
Dreamer  of  dreams  forbidden,  we  come, 

beware!" 
We    came,    we    struck,    we    harried,    we 

plunged  on. 

But  the  monster  opened  his  arms,  he 
opened  them  wide, 


us) 


HYMN 


And  in  bogs  and  glades  by  craft  were  we 

undone, 
And  he  drew  us  close  in  his  terrible  arms, 

and  we  died. 
And  he  smote  us  again;  in  the  lowlands, 

seeking  the  sea, 
By  the  dunes  and  the  dikes,  charging, 

he  came  in  his  pride! 
And  we  called  the  fetterless  ocean  to  strike 

for  the  free, 

We  called  our  brother  the  sea  to  fight  at 
our  side! 


HYMN 

And  the  deep  sea  covered  the  fields  as  men 

cover  the  dead. 
And  the  foe  came  on  through  the  waters 

and  floundered  and  fell; 
And  again  he  came  on,  singing,  with  lifted 

head, 
And  sank;  and  again  he  came  on  through 

the  terrible 
Waters  of  death,  and  we  met  him,  and 

hand  to  hand 
Fought  in  the  ruins  of  homes;  in  the 

storm  and  the  cold 
grappled,    we    thrust,    we    stabbed 
through  that  wild  lost  land; 


[17] 


HYMN 

And  "Calais!"  he  cried,  and  "Calais!"  the 

echo  rolled. 
To  the  ruins  and  blood-red  waters  came 

quiet  at  last. 
For  thou  wert  with  us.     He  faltered.     But 

we  stood  fast. 

Out  of  the  Valley  of  Death,  Lord,  thou 

hast  led  us! 
By  the  sea  we  lay  panting  with  burning 

eyes; 
By  the  dunes,  by  the  flooded  fields,  where 

the  wind  fed  us 

Despair,  and  day  was  blacker  with  sur 
mise 


HYMN 


Than  ever  night  with  storms,  we  crouched; 

but  lo, 
On  the  plains  afar,  on  the  brown  fields, 

facing  the  west, 

Not  of  dismay  and  imminent  overthrow, 
Through  the  day,  through  the  dark,  we 

made  a  spectral  guest; 
God,   how  we  came  with   banners!  With 

drums,  we  came! 
Flashing  the   sun   back,   sparkling,   we 

came  on! 
Our  enemy  fled.     Down  the  gray  gorge  of 

shame 

He  drew  away  as  the  dark  draws  away 
from  the  dawn. 


[19] 


HYMN 


We  cried,  "Now,  he  is  ours!"  but  lo,  in  the 

north, 
Like  a  new  spear  flashing,  he  sprang; 

again;  again! 
And  back  and  forth  we  lunged;  and  back 

and  forth 
Like  wrestlers  with  bloodshot  eyes  who 

heave  and  strain 
At  the  abyss's  edge,  we  tossed  panting;  we 

sprang  back; 
Grappled,  recoiled;  grappled  again;  lay 

still; 

Arms  locked,  eye  to  red  eye  demoniac; 
Limbs  lax;  astir  only  the  invincible  will. 


20 


HYMN 


And  again  by  the  white  peaks,  bugles  and 

victory-laughter, 
Legions  of  marching  men,  files  without 

end! 
Death   on  the  winding  roads;   slaughter, 

and  triumph  after! 
Biting  winds  on  the  passes  and  April  after 

Where  the  winding  roads  descend. 
God,  how  we  came  with  banners!  God,  how 

they  fled, 

Crag  to  crag,  leaping,  stricken,  down  the 
gray  slopes! 


21 


HYMN 

We  crashed  upon  them  like  waters  bursting 

their  bed, 
Like    churning   waters,    whirling    away 

their  hopes. 

"At  last!  At  last!  Now  is  the  end!"  we  cried. 
But  our  enemy  thrust  from  the  dark; 

terribly  he  thrust. 
And  we  melted  like  snow  from  the  gay, 

green  mountain-side; 
To  the  icy  passes  we  fled  like  windblown 

dust. 
And  the  foe  plunged  and  came  on;  with 

thunder  and  flame 

He  cut  him  a  highway  and  paved  it  with 
bones  and  blood; 


22] 


HYMN 

Of  eyes   and   palpitant  hearts  that  knew 

thy  name, 
God,   and   knew  love   and   beauty  and 

fatherhood, 

An  instrument  to  batter  a  bastion  low 
He  fashioned  him  there,  God;  and  smote 
us. 

Dear  Lord, 
Who   knowest   all  things,   this   also  thou 

dost  know; 
Not    lightly   there   we   yielded    to    thy 

abhorred. 

He  lunged,  he  trampled,  he  plunged;  he 
swept  us  aside. 


[23] 


HYMN 

We  died,  we  rose  from  the  dead,  we  died, 
we  died. 

God,  in  the  Valley,  in  the  silvery  canyon  of 

Death, 
Thou  gavest  our  lips  water  and  our  lungs 

breath; 
Thou  gavest  our  eyes  sweet  pictures  to  gaze 

upon; 
Thou  gavest   our  hearts  sweet  love  to  feed 

upon; 
Thou  gavest  our  spirits  music  of  thine  own 

making, 
Of  daylight  breaking, 


[24] 


HYM  N 


And  slumbering  birds  and  slumbering  worlds 

awaking. 

Thou  gavest  our  spirits  food  to  eat, 
Bread  and  apples,  honey  and  meat, 
And  hands  to  clasp  and  fields  to  sow 
And  children  to  fondle,  as  long  ago. 

Thou  art  home-fires  to  them  who  gave  and 

are  done  with  giving. 
But  a  ring  of  ten  thousand  chariots  thou  art 

to  the  living! 

God,  in  disaster  thou  hast  been  near  to  us. 
We  cried,   "We  will  strike  our  foe  by 
land  and  by  sea; 

[25] 


HYMN 


In  the   narrow  way,   by  the  strait  gate 

perilous, 
Where  the  black  heart  blasphemous 

Camps  and  breaks  bread  with  our  Lord's 

black  enemy, 
We  will  make  us  a  road;  to  his  throat  we 

will  carve  us  a  way!" 
Over  the  sea,  over  the  wine-dark  sea, 
From  the  ends  of  the  earth  with  singing 

and  banter  gay 

For  the  love  of  a  ravished  bride,  sweet 
Liberty, 


HYMN 


We  came;  and  round  us  were  spectres  of 

dazzling  ships; 
And  above  us  the  charging  and  clashing 

of  clamorous  ghosts; 
And    before    us    the    deathless    magic    of 

Helen's  lips 

And  the  deep  voice  of  Agamemnon  call 
ing  his  hosts. 
Lemnos    gave    greeting,    Samothrace    a 

cheer, 

And  the  ashes  of  Ilium  sang  as  we  drew 
near. 


[27] 


HYMN 


Lord  God,  thou  knowest  that  we  were  glad 

to  die. 
Our  strength,  our  hope,  our  vision  of  far, 

loved  faces, 
Of  sweet  years  hand  in  hand  and  eye  in 

eye, 
And  children  and  friends,  old  paths  and 

familiar  places, 
Lord,  these  were  all  we  had  to  give;  we 

gave  them; 
Throwing  away  our  dreams  that  we  might 

save  them. 


[28] 


HYMN 


We  died  in  the  sea,  we  died  in  the  snares 

of  the  beaches; 

We  died  in  the  daffodils,  when  their  cups 
were  red; 

We  died  amid  wails  and  singing  and  mad 
men's  screeches 

And  crawling  fire  and  under  the  piled-up 
dead. 

We  landed,  we  stormed,  we  stabbed,  we 
pressed  on,  we  prevailed; 

We  hungered,  we  thirsted,  we  burned,  we 
fell  back,  we  failed. 


HYMN 

God,  in  black  days  thou  hast  kept  true  to 

us! 
Our  enemy  laughed;  he  said,  "They  are 

babes  at  war. 
What   are   they,   to   match   their   swords 

presumptuous 

With  the  sword  of  a  conqueror?" 
And  he  gathered  his  legions  and  smote  us 

where  we  were  weak. 
With  treachery  and  a  sword,  with  guile 

and  a  blow, 
He  fell  on  our  fields  like  winter  and  left 

them  bleak, 

He  came  on  our  cities  like  Judgment  and 
trampled  them  low. 


[30] 


HYMN 


We  stood,  we  fought;  by  the  river,  black 

with  his  coming, 
For  a  high  price,  we  sold  each  drop  of 

freemen's  blood! 
But  our  foe  came  on  with  his  hordes  and 

his  vultures  humming; 
Like  a  glacier,  darkly,  like  a  slow-rising 

flood, 
Like  a  plague  of  locusts  that  leaves  the 

green  fields  brown, 

He  came;  we  fought  in  the  valley,  we 
poured  death  from  the  heights; 


[31] 


HYMN 


We  defied  the  tide;  the  thunder  we  thund 
ered  down. 
But  he  came  as  the  dark  comes,  putting 

out  the  light; 
He  came  as  death  comes,  putting  dreams 

to  flight. 
And  we  fled  to  the  mountains,  we  fled  with 

our  loves  in  our  arms; 
Starving    and    bleeding,    we    staggered, 

with  Terror  behind 
Flaring   to    heaven,    and    around    us    the 

whirling  storms 

And  the  snow  on  our  loved  ones  lost  and 
the  pitiless  wind. 


[32] 


HYMN 


But  our  foe  cried,  "Fools!  that  die  for  a 

phantom-light! 
Shatter  your  hearts,  if  you  must.     I  stand. 

I  am  Might!" 


[33] 


HYMN 


II 


God,  in  defeat,  in  the  deluge  of  black  de 
feat 
Thou  blewest  upon  our  courage  and  kept 

it  burning. 
Thou  wast   a   light   along   the   blackened 

street; 

By  empty  chairs  a  promise  of  returning. 

Thou  wast  the  sword  of  Liberty,  agonizing, 

Thou  wast  the  still  small  voice  in  the 

battle's  din: 
"The  wicked  are  caught  in  the  snares  of 

their  own  devising. 

Faint  not,  fight  on.     Only  the  just  shall 
win!" 


[34] 


HYMN 


Thou  knowest,  Lord,  we  fought  and  fainted 

not. 

We  suffered  all  things,  hunger  and  cold 
and  pain, 

Death  with  the  huddled  dead,  and  death, 

forgot 

In  some  lost  crater  alone  with  the  dark 
and  the  rain; 

Fever  and  endless  obeying  and  digging  and 
carrying 

And  slaughter  and  evil  winds  and  gather 
ing  and  burying. 

We  bore  them   all,   for  something,   dim- 
discerned, 


[35] 


HYMN 


That    in    our    hearts    like   white    auroras 
burned. 

And   our  enemy   ravaged   our  fields   and 

ravished  our  treasures, 
And  he  made  our  maidens  and  golden 

boys  his  slaves; 
And  he  slaughtered  our  babes  and  took  our 

wives  for  his  pleasures, 
And  was  king  by  the  grace  of  volleys  and 

open  graves. 
And  he  sent  his  vultures  scattering  death 

at  whim, 


[36] 


HYMN 

And  his  demon-ships  to  gather  glory  for 

him; 
And  the  spirits  of  earth  and  air  came  at  his 

nod 
And  blew  green  poisons  to  put  out  the  eyes 

of  God. 

Under  the  beak  of  black  hours  ravenous, 
God  of  free  peoples,  Thou  hast  been  true  to  us! 


[37] 


HYMN 


III 


And  again  our  enemy  gathered  his  legions, 

and  struck. 

With  flashing  of  myriad  thunders,  crash 
ing,  he  came  on. 

And  the  walls  of  our  stronghold  shuddered 

and  heaved  and  shook, 
And  the  solid  earth  churned  as  the  sea 
in  the  muddy  dawn; 

And  plunging  out  of  the  dark  as  the  waves 
of  the  sea, 

Breaker  on  breaker,  he  charged  the  hills  of 
the  free. 


[38] 


HYMN 


And  the  waves  came,  broke  and  ebbed,  and 

other  waves  came. 

Up  from  the  infinite  deep,  up  the  wild 
shore 

They  climbed,  they  broke  in  a  crackle  of 

fierce  flame; 

They    surged,    they    shuddered,    they 
crumbled,  they  were  no  more. 

And  out  of  the  wallowing  ground  like  the 
dead,  emerging, 

Through  the  fog  and  the  snow  the  gray- 
green  waves  came  surging. 


[39] 


HYMN 


And  our  bodies  grew  faint  with  slaying, 

our  eyes  grew  dim, 

And  our  strong  walls  sprang  in  the  air 
and  fell  and  were  dust; 

And  nearer  and  nearer  the  hills'  shot-shat 
tered  rim 

The   seething  deep   his  terrible   fingers 
thrust. 

And  giddy  and  sick  we  faced  the  charging 
mass. 

"They   shall   not   pass,   dear   God!   They 
shall  not  pass." 


[40] 


HYMN 


Friend  of  the  free,  when   mans   weak   bar 
riers  fall, 
Thou  art  a  wall,  great  Lord,  thou  art  a  wall! 

And  we  struck  our  enemy,  struck  to  east 

and  to  west, 
Struck  on  the  sea,  struck  in  the  huddled 

town. 
The  darkness  we  gave  no  sleep,  the  silence 

no  rest, 

Pity  no  bed  to  lay  her  weariness  down. 
And  the  battle  boiled  and  seethed  and  bub 
bled  and  fell 


[41] 


HYMN 

In  the  rocking  cauldron  over  the  coals  of 

hell; 
And  the  breath  of  a  hundred  valleys  went 

out  in  thunder, 
And    a   thousand    villages    crumbled    and 

were  stamped  under; 
And  the  strong  were  afraid  and  the  weak 

met  death  with  a  shout; 
And  gods,  like  an  empty  lamp,  sputtered 

and  went  out; 
And  shapes  rose  out  of  graves  and  dragged 

at  kings; 
And  hands  in  the  dark  broke  the  bright 

bubbles  of  kings; 


[42] 


HYMN 

And  loud  and  wild  on  the  uttermost  crags 

and  coasts 
Ebbed    and    flowed    the    supplications    of 

ghosts. 
And  hate  the  sower  was  choked  by  a  world 

of  haters; 
And  monstrous  offspring  sprang  on  their 

own  creators; 
And  high  seats  toppled  and  proud  kings 

begged  for  bread; 
And  golden  banners  flared  to  the  dawn, 

blood-red; 
And  nations  died   and  nations  rose  from 

the  dead. 


[43] 


HYMN 


And  once  more  our  enemy  flung  forth  his 

legions;  once  more 
With  thundering  mouths  and  drums  and 

clattering  swords 
And  mad-eyed  Terror  with  torches  running 

before, 
He  came,  he  came  with  his  hordes! 

And  he  beat  against  us;  with  iron  hands 

from  our  heights 

He  hurtled  us  down;  from  our  valleys  on 
waves  of  blood, 


HYMN 

Terribly  on,  through  the  days  and  the  red 

nights 
He  swept  us  like  a  flood. 

And  the  snake  in  the  covert  hissed,  "Break 

and  flee!" 
And  the  jackal  barked  in  the  dark,  "He 

hangs  at  your  throat!" 
But  thy  children  lifted  their  heads,   re 
membering  thee, 
And  stood,  and  turned,  and  smote! 

Lord  God  of  high  heaven,  sword  and  shield 
of  the  free! 


[45] 


HYMN 


Splendor,  defender  of  light  and  liberty! 
Arms  to  the  weak  of  arm,  eyes  to  the  dim 

of  eye, 
Comfort  and  confidence  to  them  that  go 

to  die! 

Confounder  of  tyranny,  smiter  of  perfidy, 
Uplifter  of  burdens  fallen  on  the  way  to 

thee! 

Breaker  of  snares,  blunter  of  swords, 
Terror  and  turner  of  infidel  hordes, 
Pursuer  of  the  foes  of  light,  harrier  of  the 

unjust, 
Trampler  of  the  rebellious  with  hoofs  in 

the  dust! 


[46] 


HYM  N 


Driver  with  whips,  driver  with  scorpions, 
Driver  with  thunders,  terribler  than  guns, 
Dropper  of  bursting  fire  on  the  hearts  of 

the  proud, 
Blower  of  biting  death  on  the  hopes  of  the 

haughty-browed— 
Our  enemy  is  shattered, 

Our  enemy  is  flown! 
His  charging  hosts  are  scattered, 

His  towers  are  overthrown! 
His  trumpets  trumpet  vainly 

To  stay  the  last  retreat. 
The  monstrous  beast  ungainly 
Lies  at  thy  conquering  feet! 


[47] 


HYMN 

Redeemer  of  nations,   burster  of  prison- 
gates; 
Lifter  from  broken  hearts  of  chains  and 

weights; 

Feeder  of  famished  hearts,  joiner  of  hands, 
Returner  of  exiles  from  alien  strands; 
Bringer  of  morning,  bringer  of  air, 
Kindler  of  laughter  in  ashes  of  despair! — 
Preserver!  Glorious! 

From  the  hills  and  the  crashing  sea, 
Thy  freemen,  victorious, 
Jubilantly  run  to  Thee! 
Not  with  shouting  and  singing, 
Exultant  trumpet  or  drum, 


[48] 


HYMN 

But  with  hearts  like  church-bells  ring 
ing, 

Conqueror,  we  come! 
Devouring  fire,  invincible  light! 
Builder  of  dawn  on  the  ruins  of  night! 
Builder  with  music  of  the  crystal  halls  of 

day, 

God,   we   are  Thine!   Command   and   we 
obey! 


[49] 


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387543 


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